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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a telecommunications Service Control Point (SCP), and specifically, to an SCP having interfaces configured to receive messages in a plurality of protocols, transmit those messages to a plurality of call processing applications, receive response messages from the call processing applications, and transmit those response messages in the plurality of protocols.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a telecommunications network, an SCP provides service information to devices in the network using call processing applications within the SCP. Some examples of service information provided by the SCP include special service number routing information, post-pay calling card information, and pre-paid calling card information.
A telecommunications resource provides services to a call and is sometimes referred to as a service platform. Typically, resources are used to provide services to a call requiring interaction with the caller. For example, resources are used to collect and validate calling card numbers and special service number pin codes. Where caller interaction is required to process a call, the network uses a xe2x80x9cconnect to resourcexe2x80x9d call processing application in the SCP to connect the call to a resource. The resource provides services to the call based on the called and calling number. After providing the service, the resource is disconnected and the call is routed to the call destination usually via one or more switches in the network.
In one example of the xe2x80x9cconnect to resourcexe2x80x9d call processing application, a telecommunications switch may receive a call from a user that requires voice response interaction before the call is connected to the called destination. The switch processes the call and sends a query message to the SCP. The SCP generates a connect to resource response message for the switch that routes the call from the switch to a resource. The SCP also sends a context message containing call information to the resource. After receiving the call from the switch and the context information from the SCP, the resource plays prompts and collects digits from the caller. The resource processes the call by validating the digits and sending a transfer request message to the SCP. The SCP processes the transfer request message, disconnects the resource, and sends a response message to the switch that routes the call to the final destination.
The SCP includes two interfaces used to exchange messages with the telecommunications network, a Signaling System (SS7) Transactional Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) and an Internet Protocol (IP) interface. The TCAP interface also includes message transfer part functionality and SS7 signaling connection control part functionality. Unfortunately, the IP interface is dedicated to the xe2x80x9cconnect to resourcexe2x80x9d call processing application. The IP interface cannot be used to access other call processing applications such as number validation and special service number call processing. These applications can only be accessed through the SS7 TCAP interface. Thus, if a resource is used for a special service number call requiring access to the special service number call processing application in the SCP, the IP message from the resource must be routed to the TCAP interface through a converter. The converter converts the IP message to an SS7 TCAP message for the TCAP interface. However, these converters add additional equipment and maintenance requirements on the network and on the network administrators.
It is desirable in the art of telecommunications to have an SCP capable of receiving multiple queries in multiple different protocols so that communication devices can access the various call processing applications within the SCP without the use of converters.
The present invention advances the art by providing an SCP capable of receiving query messages from multiple communications devices using multiple protocols, and processing the query messages to return response messages back to the communication devices using their respective protocols. Advantageously, the present SCP is configured so that any device conforming to the interface message rules can interact directly with the SCP. In addition, the SCP acts as a gateway for devices to access other call processing applications in the telecommunications network.
The present SCP comprises multiple interfaces connected to multiple call processing applications. For clarity, only the operation of a first and second interface and a first and second call processing application are summarized herein, as illustrative of the SCP operation for other interfaces and call processing applications. The first interface is configured to receive a first query message in a first protocol and transfer the first query message to a first call processing application, receive a third query message in the first protocol and transfer the third query message to a second call processing application. The second interface is configured to receive a second query message in a second protocol and transfer the second query message to the first call processing application, and receive a fourth query message in the second protocol and transfer the fourth query message to the second call processing application.
The first call processing application is configured to process the first query message to generate a first response message containing first call-handling information for a first call, and process the second query message to generate a second response message containing second call-handling information for a second call. The second call processing application is configured to process the third query message to generate a third response message containing third call-handling information for a third call, and process the fourth query message to generate a fourth response message containing fourth call-handling information for a fourth call.